Naught But Ash
by thegreatwhitewolf
Summary: They are nobodies, rejected by both light and darkness, cursed to walk between the two, in twilight. This is their story, from their humble beginnings as Apprentices, to their descent into darkness, and beyond. Loosely follows the games.


Naught But Ash

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this.

Warning: This is not a story for the faint of heart. There will probably be strong language, violence, blood, gore, sexual situations, alcohol, and maybe drug use. It's not certain because I only have a vague idea of where this is going right now. I also feel it's fair to warn you now that there will most likely be male/male pairings so if you're not comfortable with that concept, then I suggest you go read something else.

I—Behind Blue Eyes

Aeleus shifted impatiently on his feet, rocking back and forth, as he scanned the crowd of mourners, looking for anyone he knew. No such luck. He generally disliked funerals (what normal, sane human being would like them?), but he hated them even more when he didn't even know the deceased.

The only reason why he was attending in the first place was because his master had requested it. And it was very hard to say "no" to Ansem the Wise. Aeleus had known Ansem the Wise for many years now and the two men had grown incredibly close. So when Ansem had requested that he attend the funeral, Aeleus had not hesitated to say yes.

Apparently, Ansem had known the couple laid out at the front of the church quite well, though it came as no surprise to Aeleus; Ansem the Wise knew pretty much everyone in Radiant Garden.

Aeleus shifted on his feet again. It was almost time for the service to begin. Then, he heard a familiar-sounding cough.

"Even…what are you doing here?" Aeleus asked the man now standing beside him, his face betraying none of the surprise he felt.

Even, a man of perhaps forty (Aeleus wasn't certain and never had the balls to ask—he didn't want to turned into an ice sculpture by one of Even's Blizzard spells, one of the only ones he was actually good at) with blonde hair and creepy green eyes merely chuckled.

"I'm here at Master Ansem's request, the same as you," he said.

"I see," Aeleus murmured.

He wasn't used to seeing Even in anything other than his lab coat, which he wore everywhere, even at meals. Today, he was dressed in a pair of slacks and a white-button up shirt, which made him look almost _normal_.

"I suppose Dilan and Braig are lurking here somewhere," Even said, looking around.

Aeleus was barely able to conceal his surprise. "_They_ are here too?"

"Yes, so it would seem," Even replied.

"But why?" Aeleus asked.

"Master Ansem probably wanted to introduce them to the boy so it's not as awkward down the road," Even replied.

Aeleus wrinkled his forehead into a frown. "The boy?"

Even rolled his eyes toward the heavens. "Don't tell me you've forgotten already. Good lord, you're almost as bad as Braig."

Then, Aeleus remembered. The deceased couple had a child, a little boy, who had not been involved in the accident that killed them. Now an orphan, with no other living family to turn to, he had been put in the care of Ansem the Wise. For the life of him, Aeleus could not remember the child's name.

Even was babbling on, so Aeleus stopped him with a wave of his hand. "I remember now, Even. What was his name again?"

"_If_ you paid attention more, you would know that the boy's name is Ienzo," Even snapped.

Aeleus bit back a smart-ass comment and shook his head. He was spending way too much time with Braig; the insufferable man was rubbing off on him. He made a mental note to keep Ienzo away from Braig as much as possible.

Suddenly, he had a thought and turned to Even. "Exactly how old is the boy?"

Even shrugged. "I forget."

Aeleus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Even teetered on the edge of being insufferable. Aeleus searched around, hoping to find a distraction. Braig and Dilan were approaching. That was enough.

He watched the two of them approach. It was a bit strange to see them dressed in regular clothes rather than in their guard uniforms. Braig was tall and extremely thin with black pair pulled back into a ponytail and brown eyes. Dilan looked similar to him with black hair also tied neatly into a ponytail and pale violet eyes.

"Yo," Braig said, raising a hand, as was his usual way of greeting people.

"Hello," Aeleus said politely.

"Have you seen Master Ansem around here?" Dilan asked.

"No," Aeleus answered with a shake of his head.

"Have you?" Even asked.

"If he had, he wouldn't be asking you," Braig butted in.

"No need to get snippy," Even said hotly.

"Who's snippy?" Braig demanded.

"Enough." Aeleus ended their argument. "Master Ansem is coming."

Indeed he was. They could see him pushing his way through the crowd, politely of course. Ansem the Wise was an older man of perhaps fifty or sixty years of age, though no one knew for sure. He wore his platinum blonde hair long, but neatly styled, and his beard and mustache neatly trimmed. Today he wore a white dress shirt, black slacks, dark socks, and nice black shoes.

As he drew closer to their group, they could see he wasn't alone; he held a hand. It was the hand, Aeleus mused, of a small child. He raised his eyes and fixed them on the person holding Ansem the Wise's hand. Aeleus estimated his age to be about eight. He was dressed in all black and kept his head bowed.

"Ienzo," Ansem said softly and the boy looked up.

Aeleus stared; he couldn't help it. Half the boy's face was hidden by a curtain of greyish-silver hair.

"Ienzo, I'd like you to meet Even, Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus," Ansem said, his tone still gentle.

Ienzo looked at all of them in turn. Aeleus was met last by his piercing gaze. The boy's eyes were cerulean, the brightest shade of blue Aeleus had ever seen. He was amazed by the amount of intelligence he found in those blue eyes. He knew right away that Ienzo was not to be underestimated.

"It's nice to meet you," Aeleus aid.

Ienzo said nothing, moving closer to Ansem.

"Ienzo is in my care now," Ansem said.

Braig opened his mouth to make some snide remark, but one glare from Aeleus and that mouth was instantly shut. He may not have said a lot, but he still had the power to get his point across.

"He will be staying in the castle, yes?" Even asked.

"Of course." Ansem nodded. "He will be your responsibility when I'm not around."

"Understood," Even said.

Aeleus frowned. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to put the boy in Even's care. The man was certainly responsible, but he was also eccentric. Heaven forbid Even's eccentricities rub off on Ienzo.

Ansem seemed to know what Aeleus was thinking because his weathered face split into a smile and he said, "Of course, all of you will share this responsibility. You will all be his teachers."

Braig scowled, clearly not pleased with the idea of taking care of the child, but didn't vocalize his protests. Not yet at least. Aeleus knew that when the time was right, Ansem would get an earful of what Braig thought. Aeleus knew Braig well enough by now to know that he would not remain silent.

He had known Braig, as well as Dilan and Even from his teenage years. They hadn't exactly been friends, but they were certainly friendly with one another. Even was much older than the three of them and already an Apprentice under Ansem the Wise when Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus joined him. He was always well ahead of them in their studies, but that was to be expected. It was no wonder that now, twenty years later, he was a brilliant scientist, one of the best in Radiant Garden.

As for Aeleus, Braig, and Dilan, all three of them were now commissioned as Ansem's personal guards. They also did other little things, errands and such, whatever Ansem required. It was a high honor to be asked by Ansem personally to remain at the castle and serve him even after their schooling had ended.

It was strange to be asked this now. All four of them were well-on in years and had little experience with children. They certainly didn't seem like they would be the best role models for the boy; all of them were odd in their own way and certainly not qualified to help raise a child. Especially not Braig. Aeleus shuddered when he thought about Braig having a family of his own. The man simply was not father material. He was irresponsible at best. Dilan would probably be an all right role model for Ienzo.

Aeleus turned to Dilan, who was silent, his facial expression unreadable. That was normal for Dilan. He neither liked nor disliked the idea of helping take care of Ienzo.

As for himself…

Aeleus sighed quietly. He wasn't sure what to think. He had little to no experience with children and had no thoughts of starting a family of his own. But Ienzo needed a home and there was simply no one else to raise him. So they would have to do.

Ansem unexpectedly cleared his throat. "It's time for the service to begin."

Respectfully, they followed him into the chapel. They filed one by one into the first pew. Aeleus ended up between Even who sat beside Ienzo, and Dilan who sat next to Braig on the end.

The service was long and dull, especially since Aeleus did not even know the couple. From what he could tell by the words the minister spoke about them, they seemed like kind people, hard working, and loving. Aeleus kept glancing at Ienzo, sandwiched between Ansem and Even. He looked even smaller, sitting on the very edge of the pew, and even though he was all the way forward, his feet dangled above the ground.

At long last, the service ended and they were allowed to leave. Slowly, they made their way to the church's entrance and waited for Ansem and Ienzo, who had been caught up by people.

"I have a few things to attend to before I return to the castle," Ansem said when they had been able to finally extract themselves from the crowd of mourners. "Can you take Ienzo back with you and help him get settled in?" He let go of Ienzo's hand and ushered the boy forward.

"Of course, Master Ansem," Even replied, taking charge at once and stepping forward to grasp Ienzo's hand. "Do you know when you'll be back?"

"Unfortunately, no," Ansem said with a soft sigh. "I'll try not to be too late."

And with that, Ansem disappeared into the crowd.

"Of course he leaves," Braig sneered.

"Hush," Aeleus chided.

He threw a quick glance at Ienzo and was met by a cool stare from the boy. He wasn't exactly sure to make of that look. He appeared to be dry-eyed and had not shed a single tear throughout the entire service. Aeleus knew, almost instinctively, that despite his outward appearance, he was dying inside. He couldn't imagine what Ienzo was going through at the moment; his parents had not passed away until he was an adult and they had died after being sick for a very long time.

They walked in silence back to the castle. Even when they passed through the familiar gates, not a word was said. Aeleus watched Ienzo, feeling slightly apprehensive. He didn't know much about children, but he knew that they were usually talkative. Even those who weren't still said at least a few words. Ienzo had yet to say a word.

Once inside the castle itself, Even turned to Aeleus. "Can you show him where he'll be staying, in the spare bedroom next to yours?"

"All right." Aeleus nodded.

Even looked rather relieved and let go of Ienzo's hand. Then, he turned on his heels and stalked off to his labs in the basement. Aeleus shook his head. Even was not happy to be parted from his precious labs for too long, an attraction Aeleus would never fully understand. And, he noted, Braig and Dilan hadn't stuck around to see if they could help. Shaking his head, he turned to Ienzo.

"Come on," he said, trying to use a soft tone so he wouldn't frighten Ienzo.

He may have been advanced for his age (Aeleus certainly thought he was from his impression of the boy so far), but he was still just a child. Aeleus knew how he must have looked to the boy. Standing at over six feet tall, there was nothing small about him. He had blazing red hair wore short and piercing blue eyes. He was many times larger than the boy and looked like he could hurt him, though he would never do such a thing. He was not as mean as he looked.

Ienzo stood there for a few moments, looking utterly lost. Aeleus did not blame him one bit. There was so much going on and it was all happening so fast.

"Come on," Aeleus repeated gently and extended his hand.

Ienzo finally stepped forward and took it. Aeleus was surprised at how cool the small hand was, but he said nothing as he led across the wide front hall and to the large marble staircase at the back of the hall.

Everything in the castle was expensive, as was Ansem the Wise's taste. But, from what Aeleus had heard, Ansem had been born into privilege so he was used to living in luxury. Aeleus' boots made quite a bit of noise on the tile floor. Ienzo's steps, on the other hand, were virtually soundless.

The staircase at the back of the hall led both up to the second and third floors and down to Even's labs. Aeleus had a feeling that Ienzo would be spending quite a bit of time down in those labs.

They followed the curving staircase up, Aeleus holding the carved banister with one hand and Ienzo's hand with the other. The young boy struggled a bit on the marble steps, but kept a good pace as they reached the second floor. There was a small landing here with a large door to the right and more marble stairs to the left. In front of them was a large stained glass window that reached from the floor to the soaring ceilings. Aeleus had no idea how old the stained glass window was. He assumed it had been put in when the castle was built, so it was likely to be centuries old. Even Ansem wasn't quite sure how old the castle he inhabited was. It was kept up to date, renovated every once in a while, so it could keep up with the times. Of course, some features, like this stained glass window, remained. On a sunny day, images of every color imaginable were cast on the floor in a large mosaic. Even on cloudy days like today, it was an impressive sight to behold.

Aeleus led Ienzo through the door on the right that led to the living quarters. It always felt like stepping into an entirely different world because it was decorated much less formally than the main floor and because of that, Aeleus always felt more at home here. Instead of tile, there was thick, plush carpet, expensive carpet, but carpet nonetheless. The wallpaper lining both sides of the hallway was also expensive, but it still made the room feel comfortable and not extravagant like the main floor.

The first doors on either side of the hallway were bedrooms—Dilan and Braig on one side and Even, Aeleus, and now Ienzo on the other. There was still one empty bedroom next to Braig. Ansem slept in the master bedroom suite on the third floor. Each bedroom here had its own bathroom attached so there would be no awkwardness between the Apprentices. Farther down the hall were the kitchen, smaller than the formal one on the first floor, a small eating area, an exercise room, and a large general room. The Apprentices (even now, years later, Aeleus referred to himself and the others by this title) weren't forbidden from venturing to the other parts of the castle, but they tended to stay in this part where they were most comfortable.

Aeleus opened the door to the spare bedroom next to him. It was relatively bare except for a bed and a dresser. The windows didn't even have curtains. Aeleus frowned. They'd need to get a desk and chair at least, plus maybe some other things. He didn't know anything about Ienzo so it was hard to know what they would need to get to make him happy. He'd find out…somehow. First, however, he needed to earn the boy's trust, and that wasn't going to be an easy task.

Nervously, he cleared his throat. "I know it doesn't look like much now, but we can fix it up." He paused, but received no response from Ienzo. "Would you like that?" Finally, he got a response; a nod. He was making progress. Ienzo would respond to yes or no questions. That was a start. "All right. Would you like to see more of the castle?" Another nod.

They left the room and continued down the hall. Aeleus showed him the rooms down there. When they finished, Aeleus took him back down the hall.

"You already know your room." Aeleus pointed it out. Ienzo answered with another nod. He was becoming more responsive, Aeleus noted. "This room is empty." He pointed to the room across from Ienzo's. "This is my room next to yours and Even is on my other side. Across from me is Braig and next to him, across from Even is Dilan." Aeleus noticed Ienzo's one visible eye narrow slightly, putting the names to the faces he had met at the service, Aeleus guessed.

They went back onto the landing just in time for the sun to peek through the grey clouds. The result was dazzling as the landing was filled with multi-colored patches of light, reflecting off the astonished face of Ienzo.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Aeleus asked softly as the sunlight disappeared behind the clouds and the spell was broken. He was expecting another nod.

"Yes," Ienzo said quietly instead.

Aeleus looked at him, taken completely off-guard. It was the first thing Ienzo had said all day. To his even greater surprise, Ienzo's lips curled up into a smile.

"I am capable of speaking," Ienzo said. "I'm not stupid." His voice was still childish, but there was a slight air of authority there.

"I never thought you were stupid," Aeleus said softly. "I knew you were intelligent from the moment we met. I could just _tell_." At this, Ienzo smiled shyly. "It's fine if you don't talk very much. Okay?" Ienzo nodded.

Aeleus took him to the main level and let him peek in at the formal dining room Ansem used when hosting large parties with its china and crystal table settings and high ceilings. He also let him have a look in the cavernous kitchen also only used for formal dinners, though it was always well-stocked. Anything that wasn't available in the smaller kitchen upstairs would certainly be available here. The room on the other side of the kitchen was the lounge where guests could relax after dinner. In the winter, the massive fireplace was lit, spreading its warmth throughout the room.

The final room on the main floor was situated between the staircase and the servants' quarters; the library. Aeleus momentarily dropped Ienzo's hand so he could push open the double doors. When he turned to take Ienzo's hand once more, he was surprised to see the boy's reaction: his one visible eye was wide with shock and Aeleus could see an expression of pure joy written across his young face.

It was an impressive sight to behold for sure. Shelves that stretched as far as the eye could see, filled with books. The library took up two floors with a small spiral staircase leading to the second level. It was filled with large comfortable armchairs and lamps plus several tables. The wall across from the door was made entirely of glass and a pair of double doors, also made out of glass, led to a beautiful garden filled with trees, plants of various sizes, and flowers of every color. And, the crowning jewel, two large ornamental cherry trees. It wasn't time yet, but in a few weeks, they would produce beautiful white blossoms that filled the garden with their intoxicating scent. It was this place, most of all, Aeleus enjoyed going. Just beyond the garden was a small vegetable patch Aeleus himself had planted. Garden was a passion of his, just like chemistry was a passion of Even's

Aeleus turned to Ienzo. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," Ienzo said softly.

Aeleus smiled. "Come on." Ienzo reluctantly followed him out.

When they returned to the second floor, they found Even in the hallway directing several servants who were carrying boxes.

"Ienzo's things," Even told Aeleus quietly. "They've just arrived. Master Ansem had them sent."

"Ah." Aeleus nodded in understanding. He felt Ienzo's grip tighten a little and knew the boy was listening.

"I see the two of you are becoming fast friends," Even said louder, more to Ienzo than Aeleus. Ienzo merely nodded. "Why don't you go and unpack your things?"

Ienzo nodded again and gave Aeleus' hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. Aeleus and Even watched him vanish into his new room.

"He likes you already," Even commented after the door had closed.

Aeleus shrugged. "I didn't really do anything."

"It's good," Even reassured him. "Now come, there are some things we need to talk about." He looked around. "Where on earth did Braig and Dilan go off to?" Aeleus offered a shrug as an answer. "Never mind; I'll go find them."

Muttering to himself, Even set off down the hall. Aeleus headed for the general room, which was where most of their discussions took place.

He didn't notice a pair of clear blue eyes watching him as he walked down the hall.

Aeleus waited in the general room for nearly half an hour before Even came in with Braig and Dilan trailing behind him. They sat without saying a word.

At once, Even took charge. "So, I'm sure you're all aware of why I called you in here."

"The kid," Braig sneered.

"He has a name, you know," Even said irritably.

"Whatever." Braig shrugged.

"As you know, Master Ansem has put us in charge of taking care of Ienzo. And, as you probably can guess, raising a child is not an easy task," Even continued. Aeleus and Dilan nodded. "It will be especially difficult since we lack the, ah…experience. It will be easiest if we divide up the responsibility. We should work out a schedule of who does what and when."

"Perhaps we should wait for Master Ansem to see what he thinks," Aeleus said.

"I agree," Dilan said.

"All right." Even nodded. "Perhaps later this evening after Ienzo goes to bed."

"Question," Braig suddenly broke in.

"Yes, Braig?" Even asked in an annoyed tone.

"Why do we have to wait until Ienzo is in bed before we can talk?" Braig asked.

"Because it will make things less awkward if he's not in the room when we talk about him," Even answered, clearly losing his patience.

"Right. We wouldn't make it too hard for him," Braig muttered.

"For heaven's sake, he's just a child!" Even shouted. "There's no need to be hard on him!"

"If you baby him too much, he won't ever grow up," Braig replied.

"He's only eight years old!" Even shouted. "He doesn't need to grow up yet!"

Aeleus sighed softly and rubbed his forehead. It was going to be a long night. Those two could go at it for hours. Aeleus did what he normally did when Even and Braig started arguing; sit back and close his mouth. There was no reason for him to get involved. Dilan was obviously thinking along the same lines; he moved from where he was sitting in an armchair between the two arguing parties to the couch where Aeleus sat.

"Do you think we should start dinner?" Dilan asked softly.

"Yes," Aeleus answered with a nod. "Those two are likely to be at it for hours. Braig has been waiting all day to blow off some steam. And he's really pushed Even's buttons this time. Plus you and I both know how stubborn Even can be."

"True." Dilan chuckled.

He and Aeleus rose and left the general room for the kitchen.

"What's for dinner tonight?" Aeleus asked.

Dilan shrugged. "It was supposed to be Braig's turn to cook tonight."

"Of course," Aeleus muttered.

"We'll just have to improvise," Dilan said. He frowned thoughtfully. "I wonder if Ienzo will eat meat."

"I'll go ask him," Aeleus said. He went down the hall, ignoring the shouting coming from the general room, and knocked on the door. "Ienzo?" He opened the door a crack. "Dilan and I were just starting dinner and we were wondering…" he hesitated, feeling slightly foolish. "Do you eat meat?"

"No," Ienzo answered.

Aeleus was surprised, though he knew he shouldn't have been; Dilan had very good instincts. "All right. Is there anything else we should know, like allergies, or things you refuse to eat?

"I'm severely allergic to nuts and shellfish," Ienzo replied quietly. "And I'm allergic to chocolate."

"Anything you like to eat or strongly dislike eating? Aeleus asked.

"Not really," Ienzo replied.

"All right." Aeleus let out a long breath. "Maybe you should come to the kitchen so we can write it down. That way, we won't forget."

"Okay," Ienzo agreed.

Aeleus stepped back as Ienzo opened the door and stepped out. He had changed out of his mourning clothes into a pair of casual jeans and a white shirt. Without another word, he followed Aeleus to the kitchen where Dilan waited next to the stove.

"Doesn't eat meat," Aeleus reported with a shake of his head.

"I thought so," Dilan said softly.

"He's allergic to nuts," Aeleus continued.

"Did you ask how allergic he is?" Dilan asked.

"I could die," Ienzo answered before Aeleus could answer, stepping forward.

Dilan tried to hide his surprise. "I see. Any other allergies?"

"Shellfish and chocolate," Ienzo answered.

"I think we should make a note so we don't forget," Aeleus said, stepping forward. "That way, we won't have any problems."

"I agree." Dilan nodded. "I'll work on that after dinner. Until then, how about we eat spaghetti?"

"That's fine," Aeleus said. He turned to Ienzo. "Any objections?"

"No." Ienzo shook his head.

"All right," Dilan said. "Would you like to help me cook dinner?" Ienzo nodded. "Have you ever cooked before?"

Ienzo shook his head sadly. "My parents weren't around very much so they never taught me how to cook."

"That's okay," Aeleus said softly. "Most people don't learn how to cook until they're all grown up and living on their own."

"We'll teach you, though," Dilan added. "We take turns doing all the chores, including cooking. One day, you'll share the responsibilities with us, but for now, you'll just watch us, okay?" Ienzo nodded.

Dinner preparations went smoothly. Ienzo hardly said a word, but watched Aeleus and Dilan closely, and did whatever they told him without question.

"Aeleus, help Ienzo set the table," Dilan ordered, setting the bowl of garlic bread on the dining room table. "I'm going to try and lure Braig and Even in here."

"Good luck," Aeleus said grimly.

Dilan nodded and left. Aeleus turned to Ienzo, who was standing by the dining room table, looking at him expectantly. The table was almost as tall as he was.

Aeleus shook his head. "Right," he muttered. "The dishes are in the kitchen." Ienzo obediently followed him into the kitchen and waited while Aeleus pulled five plates from the cupboard. "Do you think you can handle carrying all these plates to the dining room by yourself?" Ienzo nodded. Aeleus put the plates in his arms. "Be careful; they're heavy."

Ienzo nodded and second time and turned, slowly walking to the dining room, arms weighed down by plates. Aeleus grabbed several glasses and followed him. They had just entered the dining room when Even and Braig came in, still bickering, Dilan following behind, looking thoroughly frustrated. Ienzo threw them a quick glance before continuing toward the table. He had to stand on his tiptoes in order to slide the plates on the table. Even and Braig stopped arguing and watched him as he spread the plates around the table. Aeleus followed with the glasses, then went back to get the last several glasses that he hadn't been able to carry.

Dinner was a silent and tense affair. Ienzo returned to being mute and kept his eyes on his plate. Aeleus saw him using his left hand to eat and made a mental note to make sure Ienzo always sat on the end at mealtimes.

Ienzo was the first one done and sat silently, waiting. Aeleus finished second and gestured to the boy to follow him.

Once in the kitchen, Aeleus said softly, "Rinse your dishes and leave them on the counter. Whoever is supposed to clean up after dinner will take care of them." Ienzo nodded and did what he was told. Then, he turned to Aeleus questioningly. "You can do whatever you want. You don't have to stay in this part of the castle; feel free to wander around, just be careful you don't get lost."

Ienzo left. Aeleus went back into the dining room to help clean up.

"Did Ienzo run off?" Even asked. Aeleus merely nodded.

"You really think it's wise setting the boy loose on the castle like that?" Braig asked.

"He'll be fine," Aeleus answered before he could stop himself. He hadn't wanted to get involved. "He can take care of himself."

"Are you sure?" Braig asked.

"There's no need to worry," Dilan cut in. "He's remarkably intelligent for a child his age."

"He doesn't talk," Braig said.

"He does," Aeleus replied. "I've heard him."

"Oh yeah?" Braig challenged.

"Yes," Aeleus said firmly. "More than once."

"I've heard him too," Dilan said. "He's spoken to me as well."

"See?" Even turned to Braig. "This backs up what I was saying earlier. He's not stupid."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Braig said dismissively.

Even growled under his breath, but didn't press the matter. Out of the corner of his eye, Aeleus noticed Dilan slip out of the room and followed suit.

"Dilan, wait!" Aeleus called, trying to catch up with him in the hall. Dilan stopped and turned around. "Thanks for backing me up in there. About Ienzo, I mean."

He couldn't find the words to express his feelings. He hadn't expected Dilan to back him up. They got along, of course, and weren't at each other's throats like Braig and Even, but they weren't exactly close. They quietly tolerated each other.

Dilan seemed to understand anyway. "You're welcome." That was all he said. But it was all he needed to say.

Several hours later, Aeleus found himself in charge of finding Ienzo and making sure he went to bed. Ansem the Wise had yet to return, but it wasn't surprising; it was common for him to be late with all the responsibilities he had.

Aeleus had a strong suspicion of where to look for the missing boy. He was not at all surprised when his suspicions proved to be correct as he pushed open the door to the library. He found the missing boy in one of the armchairs. Aeleus had to smile. Ienzo had fallen asleep in the chair, a thick leather-bound book resting open in his lap. His head was tilted slightly to the side, permitting his entire face to be viewed. His eyes were closed and he was absolutely still, except for his chest, which rose and fell with his gentle breathing.

Aeleus stepped forward and gently took the book off Ienzo's lap. He set it on a nearby table, being careful to not lose Ienzo's page. He was astonished that an eight year-old could read a thick book like that. Aeleus turned back to the chair. He tried to be as careful as possible when he picked up Ienzo, worrying he would disturb the boy's sleep.

Thankfully, Ienzo only stirred slightly and shifted his position to make himself comfortable in Aeleus' arms and didn't wake. His head rested on Aeleus' broad shoulder, turned away from Aeleus' neck. He was heavy, but not an unbearable burden for Aeleus, who carried him with ease out of the library and up to the second floor.

They were met in the second floor hall by Even, who only glanced at them before hurrying down the hall to open Ienzo's door. Aeleus brought him in and gently put him on the bed.

"I'll take care of him," Even said quietly. "Braig and Dilan are waiting in the general room. Master Ansem is with them. He arrived not soon after you left to find Ienzo."

Aeleus frowned, wondering how Ansem had come in without him noticing; they would have surely crossed paths from the path from the second floor to the library, unless Ansem had come in a side door.

Aeleus retreated out of Ienzo's room and headed for the general room. Even though it was late at night, the room was brightly lit. Braig and Dilan shared one of the couches while Ansem had claimed his favorite chair in the corner. He looked exhausted, though that was common these days. He had more and more responsibilities, more duties to the town.

"Were you able to find Ienzo?" Ansem asked.

"Yes," Aeleus answered, choosing an armchair by the east wall; his personal favorite. "He fell asleep in the library."

Ansem chuckled softly. "Did he really?"

"Yes," Aeleus answered, allowing himself a smile. "I found him sleeping in one of the chairs with a book open on his lap. Even is putting him to sleep."

Ansem nodded thoughtfully. "You spent some time with him today, correct?"

"Yes." Aeleus nodded.

"And from that time you spent with him, tell me, what is your impression of him?" Ansem looked at him curiously.

"Well," Aeleus said, ignoring Braig's scowl, "I think he's a reasonably intelligent child. He appears to be a bit shy, but I'm sure he'll open up a bit more once he feels more comfortable. He's very laid-back and reserved."

Ansem nodded. "He's certainly unlike most children his age." He suddenly looked up and smiled. "Everything went well, I assume?"

"Yes, Master Ansem," Even replied. He sank into the chair closest to the door. "Ienzo is sleeping soundly."

"Good," Ansem said. "Now, there are a great number of things to talk about."

"Master Ansem," Even interrupted. "Before we get into all that, could you tell us a bit more about Ienzo? We should have a little bit better understanding of his background, I think."

"Very well." Ansem sighed softly. "As you already know, his name is Ienzo and he's eight years old. He was born on February 8. He was an only child. His parents were relatively rich. Ienzo will inherit their money when he turns eighteen. He was treated nicely, though his parents weren't around very much. He was educated by a private tutor. He was kept inside for…health-related reasons." Ansem paused, looking grim. "I'm sure you have noticed by now that Ienzo is…smaller than normal." The others nodded. "This is because Ienzo was born prematurely and also because he has a weak immune system. He's…a delicate child."

"So we're supposed to treat him like he's made out of glass?" Braig asked.

"Yes, I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Even said sarcastically. "He'll never turn out normal if he's treated like that."

"Even is right," Ansem said. "It would be best if Ienzo were treated like a normal child, but you always must keep in mind that he's fragile."

"Master Ansem, we were talking," Even said.

"Oh?" Ansem turned to Even in interest.

"We wanted to try and figure out exactly how to divide up the responsibility of taking care of Ienzo and we wanted your input," Even continued.

"All right." Ansem nodded.

"It works out well because there are five of us to take care of him during the week," Even said. "I propose that each day, one of us is responsible for taking care of him. For example, Braig can take care of him on Mondays, Dilan on Tuesdays, and so on. And each person can choose to structure the day however they choose."

Ansem nodded. "That's a good idea. What about on the weekends?"

"We can leave those open," Even replied. "That way, he won't feel like it's too structured."

"What exactly do we need to teach him?" Aeleus answered.

"For now, the basics," Ansem answered. "Reading, writing, math, science, history, magic."

"So we divide those up?" Braig asked.

"We should base it on our individual strengths," Even said.

"So I guess you get science?" Braig grinned.

"Yes." Even nodded. "I can teach him math and science."

The rest of the subjects weren't hard to divide up: Aeleus would teach him reading, Dilan writing, Braig history, and Ansem would teach him magic. After a bit of arguing and deliberation, it was decided that Even would teach on Mondays, Aeleus on Tuesdays, Braig on Wednesdays, Dilan on Thursdays, and Ansem on Fridays.

Their conversation turned to other things and Aeleus excused himself from the room. It was late and he had a bunch of things to do in the morning. As he passed Ienzo's room, he paused and looked at the closed door. It was going to be strange having him around. After all, they were five grown men and he was an eight year-old child. They would figure it out, somehow.

They always did.


End file.
